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Gem Gloves

Because there was a time when ladies didn’t leave the house without them, gloves have always suggested to me the elegance of horse-drawn carriages, drawing rooms and balls. I have long imagined knitting a fine pair of gloves that would be as appropriate for that life as this one.

A simple cuff that can be worn long or folded, a thumb gusset and fingers that fit your own, the result is a classic pair of gloves. Perhaps they’re the sort that could have been worn by the tragic Lily Bart or even by Edith Wharton herself.

To knit for such a heroines, I chose Blue Sky’s Royal Alpaca. One hundred percent of the finest alpaca around, this yarn is as soft, light and warm as cashmere and as gorgeous as anything. It truly is fit for a lady, and for the rest of us too!

Now with the right side facing you, join to left side of thumb gusset and continue to knit to the end of the round. (58 stitches)

Knit evenly until glove fits to the base of your pinky.

Pinky

Dividing Round: K6, slip next 46 stitches onto scrap yarn. (6 stitches remain to the end of the round, with 12 total working stitches.)

Next Round: With the wrong side facing you, cable cast on 3 stitches. (15 working stitches)

Distribute the 15 stitches evenly onto three double pointed needles, making sure the working yarn remains accessible at the end of a needle.

With right side facing you, join for working in the round.

Knit evenly until Pinky reaches to right below the tip of your actual pinky finger. Make sure when you try on the glove that the base of the pinky is snug inside the crook between your pinky and your ring finger.

Next Round: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (10 stitches)

Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (5 stitches)

Cut the yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches.

Ring Finger

Cut the scrap yarn that is holding the remaining stitches, and carefully slip 6 stitches from each end of the stitches onto two double pointed needles. (6 stitches on each needle, 12 stitches total)

Retie the scrap yarn.

Hold the glove so that the Pinky is on the right and the thumb hole is on the left, and join yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail.

Knit 6 stiches from the front needle.

With the wrong side facing you, cable cast on 3 stitches. Slip those 3 stitches to another double pointed needle.

With the right side facing you, use the same needle to knit 3 stitches from the back needle.

With another double pointed needle, knit the last 3 stitches and then pick up 3 stitches from the base of the Pinky.

Join for working in the round. (18 stitches)

Knit evenly until the Ring Finger fits to right below the tip of your actual ring finger.

Next Round: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (12 stitches)

Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (6 stitches)

Cut the yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches.

Middle Finger

Cut the scrap yarn, and slip 8 stitches from each end of the remaining stitches onto 2 double pointed needles. (8 stitches on each needle, 16 stitches total)

Retie the scrap yarn.

Hold the glove so that the Pinky and Ring Finger are on the right and the thumb hole is on the left, and join yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail.

Knit 8 stiches from the front needle.

With the wrong side facing you, cable cast on 3 stitches. Slip those 3 stitches to another double pointed needle.

With the right side facing you, use the same needle to knit 4 stitches from the back needle.

With another double pointed needle, knit the last 4 stitches and then pick up 3 stitches from the base of the Ring Finger.

Join for working in the round. (22 stitches)

Knit evenly until the Middle Finger fits to right below the tip of your actual middle finger.

Next Round: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to last stitch, k1. (15 stitches)

Finishing

Weave in the cast on tail and the tails at the ends of each finger. Then use the tails at the bases of the fingers to carefully sew up the gapes and holes.

Make another identical glove.

The Gem

If you’re using Trio thread, separate out one two-plied strand of each color.

Centering the gem on whichever finger you’d like, use this chart to duplicate stitch your ring into place (if you picked a finger other than the Middle Finger, the number of stitches required to make the band reach around the finger will vary, but the concept will remain the same.) :

I love these gloves! So elegant and warm since they're knit with Alpaca yarn. Just one thing I'd like to add: most people's littlest finger starts lower than their other fingers so it's best to knit a couple of rows before knitting the ring finger. This keeps the baby finger from fitting too loosely in the glove. I've just gotten my Royal Alpaca in the mail and I'm off now to wind and begin knitting these pretty gloves.

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